Fat and Blood

Rest, diet and careful observation form the treatment system S. Weir Mitchell explains in Fat and Blood. Written for physicians, this medical essay addresses conditions then called neurasthenia and hysteria, with particular attention to patients who are weak, thin and unable to manage ordinary activities. Mitchell brings together seclusion, prolonged rest, massage, electrical treatment and feeding, arguing that the results depend on selecting suitable cases and attending closely to practical details.

The chapters connect changes in body weight with the condition of the blood and give substantial space to nutrition. A discussion of milk diets tracks their effects on digestion, bodily fluids and strength, including situations in which losing weight does not bring better health. The eighth edition also contains revisions and additions by John K. Mitchell. Read as a historical medical text, it offers a close view of clinical reasoning and the management of chronic illness in Mitchell's practice.